Cabbage Patch Kids became a success right from the beginning, earning favor from both kids and collectors. The dolls have gone through many changes over the years, but still remain popular. Each doll, "born" at Babyland General Hospital, is adoptable and comes with its own birth certificate. Babyland General Hospital is a real place where potential adoptive parents may go and adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid or Baby.
History
Artist Xavier Roberts created Cabbage Patch Kids as a craft project in 1978, which he then started selling in craft fairs. He called them People Originals and they had an adoption fee of $40. Later that year, Xavier and a few of his friends built Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, and opened it to the public.
In 1982 to 1983, Xavier signed with Coleco Toy Company to start manufacturing toy versions of his dolls. The adoption fee was lowered to $30 and the name changed to Cabbage Patch Kids. Hasbro bought out the agreement in 1989 and launched several new lines. In 1995, it switched to Mattel and then in 2004 to the current producer, Play Along Toys.
Appearance and Styles
Xavier made his original creation from cloth and hand-picked all features, from the eyes to the nose and mouth, to assure that each doll was unique. He gave some freckles or dimples to exaggerate the differences. Later versions mass-produced by the toy companies were made from vinyl, as this was easier to create in large quantities. This, however, made it harder to make each doll visibly different.
As of 2010, there are several types of Cabbage Patch dolls to choose from. There are the Original Cabbage Patch Kids, which closely match Xavier's original design, 25th Anniversary dolls that match those made in the 1980s and then a newer version called Lil Sprouts. There are also Baby and Newborn styles as well.
Where to Buy
Anyone wanting to adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid or Baby can travel to Babyland General Hospital and watch a "live birth" and then get the chance to adopt one. You can also adopt them from the website if visiting isn't an option. Either way, the Cabbage Patch Kid will come with a Birth Certificate and an Adoption Form that must be signed and then returned to the hospital. They are also available in retail stores such as Toys R Us, Walmart and Target.
Popularity
Cabbage Patch Kids soared into popularity in 1983 and that Christmas became the number one toy to have that year. Parents went up against incredible odds to obtain a Cabbage Patch Kid for their youngsters. They became a $2 billion brand almost overnight and stores had trouble keeping them in stock. Since then, over 100 million Cabbage Patch Kids have been adopted.
Rumors
According to Snopes, one of the main rumors surrounding the Cabbage Patch Kids is that they were created as a way of showcasing what babies would look like after a nuclear war. This rumor has since been proven false and was found to have been started by a group of college age boys.
Another rumor that circulated was that when a child sent her doll to the factory to be fixed she would receive a death certificate in return. This was also proven false. No child has ever received a death certificate instead of her doll.
Tags: Cabbage Patch, Cabbage Patch Kids, Patch Kids, Babyland General, Babyland General Hospital, General Hospital, adopt Cabbage